It is no secret that the cost of divorce is not cheap. When you and your ex both need to set up separate living arrangements, complete with full pantries and furniture, it is strategic to cut costs where possible. Many protocols during divorce are optional and are the most useful during complicated separations. These extraneous measures are not always necessary for straightforward cases where both parties are amicable and willing to negotiate. If you are interested in reducing the financial burden of your divorce, we have a few helpful tips to consider.

Discuss Billing with Your Attorney

Explain your financial concerns with your divorce lawyer. Ask questions about billing arrangements. The majority of lawyers rely on an hourly charging schedule. Collect your thoughts and write down your questions before making communication if this is your agreement.

Annulment, divorce, and legal separation all have one thing in common: the two parties within the marriage or domestic partnership are no longer together. As far as commonalities, the split is just about the only similarity these divisions share. In a legal separation, the two parties are divided but not free to marry someone else. In divorce, both sides become legally single while still recognizing the existence of the marriage. Annulment wipes the board clean and makes it as though the marriage never legally occurred.

Why Choose Divorce?

Divorce in California requires one side to declare they believe the marriage suffers from irreconcilable differences. Both parties do not have to agree, and if one wants to exit the union, the court will grant their wishes. However, despite the prevalence of divorce within the United States, some people feel a stigma still exists, leaving them to for another option. For either personal or religious reasons, many of these individuals choose to wipe the slate clean entirely.

Divorcing a spouse, no matter the length of the marriage or the circumstances surrounding the split is rarely easy. With divorce rates reaching nearly half of all marriages, millions of Americans each year search for a better, less traumatizing method to end their union. A growing portion of the population chooses to utilize a divorce mediation process. Although mediation offers many benefits that litigation does not, it simply is not a viable or beneficial option for all cases.

The Benefits of Choosing Mediation

The mere thought of going to trial to have every personal aspect of a private life ripped apart and picked through by a judge creates such anxiety for many seeking a divorce that some avoid the situation by staying in an undesirable marriage. For these, there are several alternative divorce resolutions (ADR) available, one of which is divorce mediation. The assets available with this option are:

Life is always changing. Sometimes it takes unexpected turns that have profound and lasting consequences. Without the ability to foresee the future, it is impossible to plan every aspect of life completely. Two such instances are divorce and bankruptcy. California is very understanding when it comes to divorce and aims to ensure that both parties separate with equal financial footing, many times requiring the payment of spousal support or alimony. A bankruptcy filing can substantially alter maintenance requirements during divorce litigation or divorce mediation proceedings, many times requiring post-judgement modifications.

What Do These Terms Mean?

If a person is in bankruptcy status, the courts relieve them of paying these debts. During a divorce, bankruptcy may make it tough to make the necessary alimony payments. Many in this situation do attempt to use this status as a tool to avoid the fees. To see where there could be a dilemma, it is best to understand what each means.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. With 40 to 50 percent of all marriages divorcing and an increasing remarriage rate, we see an unprecedented evolution in the traditional family home. No longer is the image of one mother, one father, and two children the normal makeup of the average family. Now, children are loved and cared for not only by their biological parents, but their new parents also love them with such fervor, it resembles that of an actual biological tie. With this changing family dynamic, we are witnessing legal cases redefine the child custody lines. With laws such as the “Third Parent Law,” what is the best interest of the children is entirely achievable through the avenues of mediation or litigation.

Is Three a Crowd?

Although it is common to find most children with one mother and one father, or two mothers, or two fathers, three is gaining popularity. The ability to have three parents was made possible by the plight of one family when all three demonstrated fitness as parents. Therefore, California Legislature determined “most children have two parents, but in rare cases, children have more than two people who are that child’s parent in every way. Separating a child from a parent has a devastating psychological and emotional impact on the child, and courts must have the power to protect children from this harm.” With this passage, not only may a child have three parents, they may have more if it is in the child’s best interest.